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Driverless cars coming back to Austin
The self-driving car company Waymo and the ride-share service Uber are partnering up to provide rides on the same app.
AUSTIN, Texas - The self-driving car company Waymo and the ride-share service Uber are partnering up to provide rides on the same app.
Waymo is set to fully transition to the Uber app at the beginning of next year as the partnership begins.
The first cities the app will be tested in are Austin and Atlanta.
"Austin is a great place to try it out. There are a lot of young folks that need rides. I live here, so I’m glad that it is starting in Austin," says Austin resident Krista Chester.
On Friday, the ridesharing services Uber and Waymo, that were previously in competition, announced they would be collaborating. This comes after a legal battle where Uber was accused of stealing Waymo’s trade secrets.
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New safety concerns about driverless cars
There are new safety concerns about driverless cars that are on the road in Austin. Federal regulators are looking into whether Waymo's self-driving technology is actually causing crashes.
"I think it is a good move on Waymo’s part to use the infrastructure that Uber has already setup to make their services more available to everybody," says Austin resident Patricio Dieck.
A Waymo spokesperson says Uber users will be able to match with a Waymo vehicle across Uber tiers.
Riders can increase their chances of being matched by opting into autonomous rides via the ride preferences section of their Uber app.
"As a consumer, I am more than happy. I don't mind not having a driver, especially if it is safer," says Dieck.
While autonomous vehicles have a history of repair issues, some riders are still onboard with the idea.
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Uber, Cruise partnership
Uber and Cruise have announced a partnership to bring Cruise's autonomous vehicles to the Uber platform.
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"There are a bunch of stalls on campus where I go swing dancing. I guess those were the cruise ones," says Dieck.
Last year, the self-driving car service Cruise suspended its fleet of nearly 1,000 cars nationwide following a hit-and-run crash, drawing concern about the partnership between Uber and Waymo, another robotaxi company.
"That might be one reason why I have never taken Waymo I would rather get in the car with someone who can maneuver, and you can see the rating that they have," says Chester.
According to Waymo, Uber will manage and dispatch a fleet of Waymo’s fully autonomous vehicles and provide fleet management services, including cleaning and repairs.
Waymo is responsible for testing and operation of driverless cars, when it comes to roadside assistance and rider support functions.
Waymo says the goal is to get more riders to their destination sooner.